Somehow
The doctors said he wouldn't survive, but a few days later he was doing better somehow.
Would it change the meaning of the sentence if I put 'somehow' after 'was' instead? If no, which one of these would you choose?
Top answer
"Somehow" is imprecise. At the end, it seems like it might mean that an undefined aspect of his health had improved, when what you mean is that he had improved inexplicably. The same problem exists after "was".
- "Somehow" is imprecise.
- At the end, it seems like it might mean that an undefined aspect of his health had improved, when what you mean is that he had improved inexplicably.
- The same problem exists after "was".
- " "Somehow" is parenthetical, but the convention is to let the comma before "but" do double duty to avoid cluttering up the sentence.
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"Somehow" is imprecise. At the end, it seems like it might mean that an undefined aspect of his health had improved, when what you mean is that he had improved inexplicably. The same problem exists after "was". I would put it here: "The doctors said he wouldn't survive, but somehow, a few days later he was doing better." "Somehow" is parenthetical, but the convention is to let the comma before
0Technically speaking, adverbs of manner (and frequency) can go in front, middle, or end position. It's the emphasis and style that changes, not so much the meaning.
Since you asked, you can put "somehow" after "was" as well. That's where I would put it. The previous post's suggestion just makes a different emphasis.
At the end, it seems like an afterthought to me, which makes the
0anonymousThe doctors said he wouldn't survive, but a few days later he was doing better somehow.
Would it change the meaning of the sentence if I put 'somehow' after 'was' instead? ...
No.
I'm indifferent to whether 'somehow' is placed in the one place or the other.
CJ
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